This is one of those moments when the child gets to brag about the parents.

Darco and I had a wonderful wedding celebration party last night at MoVal. A blend of amazing punch [I have a strong hatred of traditional wedding punch] and a beautiful cake topped the night. All by way of MC and Jim.

So, first my parents are amazing individuals that never cease to amaze me.

Secondly; check out this bad boy of a cake!

Once upon a time my least favorite color was green…

-D-

Share the Wealth:

Like this:

Nothing, and I mean nothing beats waking up to Audio Adrenaline’s “Underdog”. This song makes me so happy in the morning. Being the underdog, and liking it. You know the best part of being the underdog? People pay more attention to what God does when reality says you’re not suppose to succeed. That stuff is just cool in my book. As I listened to our pastor last night at my apartment, the words are still echoing through my head. If my focus is just on giving God glory, everything is going to work itself out. After all, He hasn’t failed yet.

Housekeeping:
-Darco and I are getting married August 2, 2013 privately between us and the pastor at MoVal. It was a joint decision that we both wanted. Once things have calmed down a bit we will hold a more formal ceremony.
-I’m disappearing on the first Kansas City Shock road trip tomorrow. Quad Cities and Des Moines. I’m one of the drivers…hehe.
-We got a summer intern from a local university this summer. Great guy, but of course, because of how God works he’s also a rock solid brother in the faith. I love it!

A dear college colleague of mine is getting married on June 15th in St. Louis. This man, to his credit, not only was in my wedding, but was one of few to walk me through the entire divorce process. Realistically, he never gave up on me.

Well, I’m preparing for this wedding, and it’ll be a blur (Kansas City Shock plays that night in Kansas City), and just now it dawned on me:

I need a new suit. I havebt worn an actually suit since I clocked in at 275 pounds in February of 2011. It’s been a while. So…it looks like suit shopping for me (I’m thinking black this time).

It quick to look at the term ‘vows’ and instantly assume that this is directed towards the correlation of wedding vows, marriage, and everything else deemed holy in the eyes of God.

Yes, and no.

While I could go and stress the importance of vows directed towards the one you love, in hopes of taking the steps forward to not only promote dedication, but also safety and security; I believe that the idea of a vow has a far more deeper potential towards not just matrimony, but humanity.

We live in a cultural surrounded by lies and deceit, it’s a business model. We lie to get our way, we ‘persuade’ others to see our view point so that they can ‘buy in'; face it, our commerce and industry revolve around the idea of low-balling in order to increase revenue. I know this; I deal with it every, single day.

I was in a store, not too long ago, and several of the stores in my area had changed their pricing scheme to reflect their competition. This little store had not. In fact, they had actually lowered their prices. Now, their sales had been ok, and slightly above, but as you can imagine; in my little world, they could be better.

So, I decided to implement a business tool that is unheard of by so many; honesty. I told the staff that they should boast about their honesty, the fact that whether they meant to or not, they had the lowest prices in the area. Be proud of being different and advertise the idea their they are vowing their livelihood towards the betterment of their town and business.

Who knew that honesty could be profitable?

It took me a year to finally understand that concept. I didn’t hold tight to my vows, while I will always deny the idea of cheating on my wife, there were other areas that I wasn’t faithful, I wasn’t honest, I didn’t understand or respect the importance of the vow that I had taken.

How does that affect the present?

Simple. I cannot handle dishonesty.

Part of the beauty of owning Kansas City Shock LLC, is being able to guide the ethical value of the business. Part of that stance means that I run an ‘open book’ policy, meaning that people can see where our [their] money is being spent any time that they wish. I refuse to allow my legacy, my belief, and my history to be tainted by the idea of being dishonest. You wouldn’t believe the heads that turn when people understand that you are genuine and passionate about what you believe in. That you’re willing to lay it on the line, because you took the vow, made the dedication to promote and exult whatever it may be that you follow.

If there is one major key that I’ll be taking with me, heading into whatever the future may hold [as we know, this could literally mean anything], it is understanding the detrimental importance of any and every vow that I make.

Now, some of you [that’s a lie] are curious about why I was in such a rush to make it home last night. Well, past the Camero, 1st Class, and the cake…there is even a better story in the making.

The lovely barista that tends to make my drinks are Starbucks has spoken many times of faith and God, but hasn’t been to church since she was around the age of 7. Well, because of my curious nature [and inability to stay quiet], I spilled the beans on myself and my life [no coffee pun intended], and invited her to church at MoVal. Over the past few weeks she has been unavailable for this adventure, and finally she made the comment that she’d be free to go…today. Meaning, that I was going to have to book it back to the area from the wedding in order to make it work. Then the delay hit Baltimore, then the delay hit Chicago, then I was told I’d have to sprint to my gate. Talk about the dark one trying to throw some snares in your way.

However, His light shines today. I picked her up and headed to church, while in service she leaned over and whispered:

It feels like he’s talking directly to me.

There is no upgrade in life that can surpass the joy I felt in that one moment.

2000 miles later, and still the biggest smile on my face is placed by Him right in my own backyard.

It would be a crime if I went through this entire trip without stating information about the wedding itself.

God’s sense of humor never ceases to amaze me.

As many of you remember, this weekend a rather nasty winter blast went through the Baltimore area. Originally we thought we were going to receive just ice, then a winter mix, then just snow.

We got just snow. What was incredible about this was while I was pulling up to the church, Amy and Ty were out getting some photos taken pre-wedding. The snow was just enough to coat everything, and in turn make this wedding look to be a winter wonderland. It was beautiful.

Inside the church, a lovely building with large wood frames and everything else. The atmosphere was alive and excited. It wasn’t the somber, traditional wedding [easily to be confused with a funeral], it was a lively, pumped, even with a sax playing while people were entering [a live sax]. During the wedding, the atmosphere was light and hopeful. The preacher cracked a few jokes, Ty made a few entertaining gestures, and most importantly…or at least to myself…the two [bride and groom] could not keep their hands off each other. You could see both of them were so anxious for that, “You may now kiss the…” moment, it was truly sweet, delightful, and everything a true wedding should be. It was rather neat to see both sets of parents place a blessing on the couple during the wedding, including Amy’s dad handing her a green old testament bible that he had given to his wife with her engagement ring in it, on the day they were engaged…31 years ago [please pause to grab a tissue]. The two left down the isle, smiling, laughing, and Amy was just beaming with life. Of the years I’ve known her, I’ve never seen her so excited.

Afterwards, and a few miles down this beautiful, snow laced road I wound around to the reception ballroom. During which, after being seated, snacked on raspberries, blackberries, and cherries [you do not understand the disturbing addiction I have towards these specific three fruits], and chatted with Amy and Ty’s old friends and classmates [remember, I’m the only one from Missouri there, aside from the bride and groom I literally knew no one in the beginning]. While gingerly watching my clock, in order to board my flight on time; the bride and groom made their grand entrance.

When Ty entered, he had a digital belt buckle on that read, “It’s About Time!!!” nearly knocking all of onto the floor laughing. The first dance, as expected, was the couples first dance, and 3/4 through the song…it slowed and stopped…indicating it was broken…

…or was it?

Ty has a sick addiction to DUB music, something he’s turned me onto over the past year. sure enough, the DUB kicked on without a doubt, and Amy and Ty dawned some club sunglasses [the ones that have blinds going across the front of them]; and just danced it away. Following which the father-daughter dance, Amy and her father danced to “Butterfly Kisses” [go ahead…grab the tissue again], and in the last verse; the DJ announced that Amy would like to invite all father’s with their daughter’s up to the floor to dance. Not a dry eye in the building.

Sadly, I had to leave the reception in order to make my destination. However, as I left, I was able to come to this conclusion: